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Glite Dictionary
punch-drunk

punch-drunk

2 8.1
A person who feels very dazed and confused as if hit many times
  • adjective
  • /ˈpʌnʧˌdrʌŋk/
translation icon : aturdido
  • After binge-watching the entire series in one night, I was punch-drunk from the emotional rollercoaster.
  • punch-drunk boxer
  • punch-drunk fighter
  • look punch-drunk

And you could see that they were like, you know, punch drunk from it.

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Examples

  • The long drive through the mountains left everyone punch-drunk and tired, struggling to stay awake.

  • From not sleeping, I'm sitting here almost punch-drunk.

    Blog text (22)

  • But, you know, towards the end of the trip, you'd start getting a little bit punch drunk and, you know, little reaction slowed.

    Gregory B. Sadler - That Philosophy Guy

  • You're going to be punch-drunk in two years, if you keep this up.

    Southpaw (2015)

  • If the man had never worked so hard and long in all of his natural life, after the last wagon load, he was moving around like a punch-drunk fighter.

    Fiction book (1996)

  • He is like a punch-drunk boxer.

    Blog text (19)

  • "Club fighters, has-beens," he'd say without fail, "every last one of them punch-drunk."

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Anyway, not really sure if any of this adds to the discussion or not; just got back from a five-day camping/NASCAR extravaganza, and I'm a bit tired and punch-drunk as a result.

    Blog text (22)

  • After the intense meeting, I felt a bit punch-drunk from all the unexpected changes.

Synonyms

dazed
vspunch-drunk
40 4.8

Not able to think and act clearly after a shock or when very tired

is often used figuratively to mean bewildered by an intense experience
stunned
vspunch-drunk
29 3.0

Too shocked to move or think clearly

is used for bewilderment after repeated impacts or strong feeling rather than one shock
silly
vspunch-drunk
  • UK
15 3.5

Dazed and confused after a hit or hard fall

is less about confusion from emotion and more about a foolish or childish state
punchy
vspunch-drunk
3 7.5

Dazed and confused after a blow or being very tired

is more about feeling bewildered after repeated shocks or strong emotion
slaphappy
vspunch-drunk
  • Informal
9.0

Feeling dazed and acting silly from being very tired or after a hit

is more about stunned bewilderment without the playful or reckless behaviour element

Antonyms

clearheaded
1 4.9

Able to think clearly and make good decisions

How Dazed

shell-shocked
14 8.4
stunned
29 3.0
punch-drunk
2 8.1
dazed
40 4.8
bewildered
1 5.3

Surface Forms

punch-drunk positive

Morphology

punch-drunk = punch + drunk (semi-transparent) = punch + drunk

The literal components 'punch' + 'drunk' are clear, but the adjective uses 'drunk' metaphorically ('stunned as if intoxicated by punches'), so the precise sense is somewhat idiomatic.

Etymology

Punch-drunk comes from boxing: after many punches a boxer may act like he is drunk, that is, 'dazed' and 'unsteady'. That's why we now call someone punch-drunk when they are stunned or confused by too much work, heat, or excitement.